Joy is...


Lately, I’ve been learning to keep my eyes (and heart) open to those things that give me joy.  As crazy as this life can be, I want not to miss the beauty that surrounds me.  I want to exemplify for the boys, what it means to slow down and breathe deep of all that God’s given us.  Here’s what I’ve been joyfilled over these last few days…

Joy is…
…watching the daffodils pop their blooms all over my yard…

…taking the boys to see the baby chicks at Coastal and watching William get excited as he teaches Calvin the sign for “bird”…

…watching William turn every stick he can find into his latest and greatest “gun”…

…my winter Daphne in bloom…I think this is what Heaven is going to smell like…

...driving less than a half of a mile from home to see a a breathtakingly beautiful snow capped Mt. Hood without any power lines obstructing our view (o;

…the anticipation I have while waiting for all five of these Camellia blooms to burst…

…A little boy wearing boots for the first time outside (the way he wobbled when I first put them on him made me smile…really big)

…watching that same little boy wear and eat dirt for the first time this Spring (o; 

…an orchard to walk in…whenever I want (thank you Jeff & Katie!)

…William, seeing how his boots fair in mud…

…watching Farmer Charlie fertilize his field (while William squeels, “It’s Farmer Charlie Mom! Farmer Charlie!”)…Something about seeing a tractor at work for the first time this year…

...watching my boys eat applesauce without shirts on (a sticky, but very fun, mess!)

...a blender full of smoothie…and two little boys who slurp them up (without any knowledge of all the veggies I just got them to eat!)


…finding notes that remind me I am loved…

Thank you Lord for the joys you bring into my life.   
May I live in such a way that reflects how truly grateful.

"Therefore with joy will you draw water from the wells of salvation."  Isaiah 12:3

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